Cooking classes are useful to a cooking newbie (like me) and inspiring to an experienced cook looking to hone particular skills. They can also be great fun — wine is almost always part of the instruction, after all. Here are a few to check out.

Central Market, 3815 Westheimer, centralmarket.com/cooking-school
My first cooking class was Salsa, Sauces & Relishes at Central Market last Tuesday. There were only three other students besides myself in attendance: a lady who obviously knew her way around a kitchen and a young couple whose skill level was only slightly higher than mine. I was nervous at first about the small crowd but chefs Kody, Tammy and Mike made everybody comfortable joking around and developed good camaraderie between the students and staff.

On the menu for the evening were four different sauces, and since there were four students we each made our own. I made sweet and sour pineapple chutney paired with pork, while my classmates made Indian spiced tomato salsa with lamb, roasted red pepper tartar sauce with snapper, and four-citrus salsa with chicken. The majority of the preparation of ingredients was done beforehand by the chefs but the students still did some prep work—I learned how to cut pineapple and lemon and dice onions.

I would recommend this class and others like it for all skill levels. All in attendance received plenty of one-on-one instruction with the chef and had a fine dinner as well. We all had equal portions of each of the four dishes prepared, and I was full when I left. Two glasses of wine were served with dinner for ages 21+ and we took home four recipes to use in the future. Not bad for just $60.

Williams-Sonoma, 12850 Memorial Drive, williams-sonoma.com
Williams-Sonoma offers a free technique/cooking class every Sunday morning (photo below) at various times according to location. I attended Fresh from the Farm: Cobblers, Crumbles and Pies last Sunday at the Town & Country location at 11 am. After promising a few of my friends free pie, they were eager to join me.

This class had a much larger crowd than my first one; there were probably about 20 people there, mostly middle-aged with a few exceptions including my friends and me. It was standing-room only by the time I got there right at 11.

Photo by Sara Boyle

Unlike at Central Market, nothing was hands-on, and we merely observed teacher Mary Beth Mandola as she created dough and crumble toppings. Throughout the demonstration she gave helpful tips. I especially appreciated her taking the time to construct a lattice-top on parchment paper since I had never understood how to do it. Because it wasn’t hands-on, I would recommend this class to cooks with more skill because as a beginner it was challenging to grasp the concepts without getting my hands messy.

Since actually baking each dessert would have taken too long, the teachers had three luscious pastries baked beforehand for us to enjoy after the demonstration: peach cobbler, apple crumble and three-berry pie with raspberries, blueberries and blackberries (photo below). Over dessert, I chatted with my classmates and discovered there is a group who have attended the class every Sunday for the last few years. One person said that he doesn’t even look at the theme of the class beforehand, he surprises himself every Sunday.

Photo by Sara Boyle

Although I would always prefer a hands-on experience, the technique class at Williams-Sonoma is a steal, especially with the 10 percent discount coupon given to each “student” at the end of class. I am not sure how much information I retained but I definitely want to attend in the future.

Here are more cooking classes in the Houston area:

Sur La Table, 1996 West Gray, surlatable.com
Sur La Table (photo below) offers a variety of classes from the week-long Baking Around the World for Kids and Teens to date-night classes with themes like Great Summer Cooking, Tour of France and Hot off the Grill. This weekend there is a macaron-making class ($69) at 10 am Saturday and Sunday just in time for Bastille Day. There are three different Sur La Table locations that offer cooking classes in Houston; make sure to check the calendar of the location near you as each has a different schedule.

Photo courtesy of Sur La Table

Culinary Institute LeNôtre, 7070 Allensby, culinaryinstitute.edu
Each Saturday there is a cooking class from 9:30 am to 1 pm at Culinary Institute LeNôtre. One class is $70 but two classes are $60 each, four classes are $55 each, and six classes are $50 each. This week on Saturday, July 12, Chef Ed will help prepare bratwurst, knockwurst, andouille, chorizo, sauerkraut, spätzle and German potato salad. Pastry chef Cedric will help prepare French baguette, batard and petit pain.

Revival Market, 550 Heights Blvd, revivalmarket.com
Revival Market is launching a Culinary Skills Cooking Class series on July 20 beginning with Marinades: Cooking with Lucy Vaserfirer ($95 per person) from 4 to 6 pm. The classes are a maximum of 12 people, BYOB and for ages 18+. Among the items on the menu are steak nachos in Tex-Mex marinade and queso, chicken fajitas in carne asada marinade and tropical fruit in cayenne-lime syrup. Reservations can be made by emailing paula@revivalmarket.com. For more information on the summer line-up, visit their website.

Radical Eats, 507 Westheimer, radicaleats.com
Radical Eats hosts a free cooking class (photo below) the last Wednesday of every month. On Wednesday, July 30, the theme is Summer Garden to Table. On the menu are portobello springrolls, watermelon gazpacho, both eggplant and tomato tarte tatin, stuffed peppers, grilled peaches and sorbet.

Photo courtesy of Radical Eats

Quattro, 1300 Lamar, quattrorestauranthouston.com
Gourmet classes are offered from now through September 28 at Quattro (photo below) for adults 21+ and children ages six to 14. Children’s classes ($25) are Saturdays at 3 pm,  and after the class a full buffet meal is provided. Adult classes ($79 per person, $149 per couple) are Wednesdays and Sundays at 6:30 pm and a three-course dinner is served following the class. The menu next week includes tagine (a North African meat and vegetable stew named after the type of pot it is prepared in), risotto, tapas and couscous. Reservations for classes can be made by calling 713-276-4700 and must be made at least 48 hours in advance.

Photo courtesy of Quattro